Course Descriptions
History Courses
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HIS 1500 Introduction to History
HIS 1500 Introduction to History
Credit Hours: 3
An examination of the ideas and values that have shaped modern consciousness and of the way that historical forces influence ideas and values. An introduction to the methods and materials of the historian. This course is normally offered every fall and winter semester.
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HIS 2000 The Ancient Mediterranean World
HIS 2000 The Ancient Mediterranean World
Credit Hours: 3
An examination of the history and culture of antiquity, with special emphasis on the development and historical significance of Greece and Rome. The readings are primary sources, such as works of literature, history, and philosophy. The evidence of art and archaeology is also considered. This course is normally offered every other fall semester.
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HIS 2100 Medieval Europe
HIS 2100 Medieval Europe
Credit Hours: 3
An examination of the history and culture of Europe from late antiquity through the Renaissance, with a focus on the reading of primary sources. The art and architecture of the age are also studied. This course is normally offered every other winter semester.
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HIS 2200 Early Modern Europe
HIS 2200 Early Modern Europe
Credit Hours: 3
The major social, political, economic, cultural, and intellectual developments in European history from the 16th through the 18th centuries. Topics for consideration include life and thought in the Reformation, political ideas and structures, the Scientific Revolution, and the Enlightenment. This course is normally offered every other fall semester.
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HIS 2300 Europe in the 19th and 20th Century
HIS 2300 Europe in the 19th and 20th Century
Credit Hours: 3
The major social, political, economic, cultural, and intellectual developments in European history from the French Revolution to the present. Some attention will be paid to European colonialism and imperialism during this period. This course is normally offered every other winter semester.
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HIS 2400 Modern Middle East
HIS 2400 Modern Middle East
Credit Hours: 3
An historical survey of the Middle East from the rise of Muhammad to the modern period. Among the topics to be discussed are the rise and development of Islam, the politics and culture of Islamic empires, women and gender in Islam, reactions to the West, Arab nationalism, and the Arab-Israeli conflict. This course is normally offered every other winter semester.
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HIS 2500 United States History to 1877
HIS 2500 United States History to 1877
Credit Hours: 3
A survey of American development from colonial beginnings through the end of Reconstruction. Among the topics examined are: the encounter of Native Americans, Europeans, and Africans in colonial America; the American Revolution; the emergence of the American political system and of distinctive cultural styles; changing patterns of work, economy, society, and technology; and the sectional crisis which divided the nation. This course is normally offered every fall and winter semester.
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HIS 2510 United States Since 1877
HIS 2510 United States Since 1877
Credit Hours: 3
A study of the emergence of modem America. Among the topics examined are industrialization, urbanization and (im)migration; the impact of new technologies; the rise of the United States as a military and economic superpower; the evolution of popular culture; and movements for social change. This course is normally offered every fall and winter semester.
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HIS 2640 Comparative Civilizations
HIS 2640 Comparative Civilizations
Credit Hours: 3
An introduction to history through the comparative study of civilizations. An investigation of the period from 1500 to the present and the global interaction of civilizations since the beginnings of western European exploration and expansion. This course is normally offered every fall and winter semester.
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HIS 2800 Modern Latin America
HIS 2800 Modern Latin America
Credit Hours: 3
An introduction to modern Latin American history and culture, with attention to pre-Columbian civilizations and peoples, the colonial experience, and the vicissitudes of nationhood. U.S.-Latin American relations will also be explored. This course is normally offered every other winter semester.
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HIS 2900 Modern Africa
HIS 2900 Modern Africa
Credit Hours: 3
This is an overview of the modern African past from the transatlantic slave trade to the present. Topics include the slave trade, statemaking in pre-colonial Africa, colonial domination by Europeans, movements for independence, and post-independence issues. This course is normally offered every fall semester.
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HIS 2910 Historical Methods
HIS 2910 Historical Methods
Credit Hours: 3
This course is an introduction to historical research and writing. It allows students to explore the use of primary sources, the skills of historical analysis, questions of style, and diverse career paths related to history. This course is normally offered every fall semester.
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HIS 3090 History of The Catholic Church
HIS 3090 History of The Catholic Church
Credit Hours: 3
This course treats key theological, spiritual, and ecclesiological developments in the early church, the Middle Ages, the Reformation, the Enlightenment, the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and Vatican Council II. Emphasis is on the relationship between historical issues and contemporary church and social concerns. The course requires personal reflection on the spiritual traditions of Ignatius Loyola and Catherine McAuley as well as service in the community and reflection on that experience in the light of Catholic Social Thought. This course is normally offered every fall and winter semester.
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HIS 3170 Social History of Art in Italy
HIS 3170 Social History of Art in Italy
Credit Hours: 3
The art and architecture of Italy in antiquity, the Middle Ages, and the Renaissance. Visits to museums, archaeological sites and surrounding historic cities, including Florence and Siena, are included in the course. This course is normally offered every summer semester.
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HIS 3190 Introduction to World Art History
HIS 3190 Introduction to World Art History
Credit Hours: 3
An introduction to art history using the collections of the Detroit Institute of Arts. The approach is comparative and considers the art of Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Africa in the context of history and culture through tours, readings, and lectures. This course is normally offered every fall semester.
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HIS 3370 British Empire
HIS 3370 British Empire
Credit Hours: 3
An exploration of the history of the British Empire from Atlantic beginnings to post-World War II decolonization. It will consider the empire as a global economic, cultural, military, and political system that existed over several centuries and had a profound impact in shaping the modern world. Key areas discussed include the Americas, Africa, the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and Australia.
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HIS 3460 Latinx History in the United States
HIS 3460 Latinx History in the United States
Credit Hours: 3
This course covers the original Spanish exploration and colonization of much of what is now the southern United States. We cover the period when these lands were annexed (by war and/or agreement) to the United States, as well as U.S. foreign policy and military expansion in Latin America (including annexation of Puerto Rico). The course covers immigration from the Americas, Latinx contributions to the economy and practices of democracy, and the development of a Latinx identity. This course is normally offered every other winter semester.
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HIS 3480 African American History
HIS 3480 African American History
Credit Hours: 3
A survey of African American history from the West African background to the present. Among the topics to be examined are: the transatlantic slave trade, the development of African American culture, slavery, free blacks, emancipation, life in the segregated South, 20th-century urban migrations, and the era of the civil rights movement, and beyond. This course is normally offered every winter semester.
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HIS 3650 Introduction to Gender History
HIS 3650 Introduction to Gender History
Credit Hours: 3
A multicultural introduction to themes in gender history. Focuses on how men and women have responded to social, political, and economic changes. This course examines gender in community, labor, politics, social movements, and sexuality. Aimed at developing critical thinking about the evolving role of gender in the past. This course is normally offered every other fall semester.
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HIS 4480 Topics in African American History
HIS 4480 Topics in African American History
Credit Hours: 3
An intensive examination of selected topics or periods in African American history, such as the Atlantic slave trade, slavery, black abolitionists, the emancipation experience, life in the segregated South, the urban experience, the civil rights movement, African American culture, and black nationalism. This course will be offered once a year.
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HIS 4510 Civil War and Reconstruction
HIS 4510 Civil War and Reconstruction
Credit Hours: 3
An examination of the division and reunion of the United States between 1861 and 1877. Topics explored include: the causes of the Civil War; political, military, economic, and social aspects of the war years; and the successes and failures of Reconstruction. This course is normally offered every other fall semester.
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HIS 4670 Topics in U.S. History
HIS 4670 Topics in U.S. History
Credit Hours: 3
A reading or research seminar involving an intensive examination of a particular topic in U.S. history. Term content varies. May be repeated for credit when topic changes. This course is normally offered every other winter semester.
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HIS 4690 Topics in World History
HIS 4690 Topics in World History
Credit Hours: 3
A reading or research seminar involving an intensive examination of a particular topic in the history of Asia, Africa, Latin America, or other world regions beyond the U.S. or Europe. Term content varies. May be repeated for credit when topic changes.
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HIS 4950 Directed Studies
HIS 4950 Directed Studies
Credit Hours: 1 TO 3
An independent reading or research project, under the direction of a member of the History faculty, on a topic of special interest to the student. Usually open only to upper-division History majors.
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HIS 4960 Topics in Public History
HIS 4960 Topics in Public History
Credit Hours: 3
A reading or research seminar involving an intensive examination of a particular topic in public history, such as archives, museums, editing and publishing, and historic preservation. Term content varies. May be repeated for credit when topic changes. This course is normally offered every fall and winter semester.
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HIS 4980 Internship
HIS 4980 Internship
Credit Hours: 3
Open by permission to selected undergraduate History majors. Provides an opportunity for students to gain practical experience in one of the settings encompassed by Public History, such as a museum, archive, or historic site.
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HIS 4990 Senior Seminar
HIS 4990 Senior Seminar
Credit Hours: 3
An intensive research seminar required for completion of the major. Topic varies. This course is normally offered every winter semester.